


chat for gamers (and volleyball nerds) || nishinoya yuu x reader

by moosetracksandscenechanges



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Explicit Language, F/M, Mutual Pining, VOLLEYBALL NERDS, Volleyball, bisexual reader, divergence from canon, i havent read the manga pls dont kill me, slightly traumatic past or something idk, so if you found that entertaining, the equivalent of pesterlogs in homestuck, this is the haikyuu fic for you i guess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:08:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24218644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moosetracksandscenechanges/pseuds/moosetracksandscenechanges
Summary: dis·cord/'diskôrd/noun1. disagreement between people:"a prosperous family who showed no signs of discord"2. lack of harmony between notes sounding together:"the music faded in discord"3. chat for gamers:"if you're gonna be a part of the team, do you wanna join our discord server?"You're the coach's assistant with somewhat stoic mannerisms that wear off into the night and a couple of secrets. He's the libero of the team with limitless energy and a heart of gold. Will opposites attract, or will they amplify your worst traits?With a Discord server and the entire volleyball season ahead of you, nothing can get in your way—except for each other.
Relationships: Nishinoya Yuu/Reader
Comments: 24
Kudos: 79





	1. nomenclature

(Y/n) (L/n)  
Username: krav macaw  
Server nickname: assistant TO the coach  
Status: karasuno magpie

Yuu Nishinoya  
Username: RollingThunder  
Server nickname: best libero in the world  
Status: guardian

Shouyou Hinata  
Username: tinyGiant10  
Server nickname: NUMBER ONE DECOY  
Status: volleyball volleyball volleyball volleyball

Asahi Azumane  
Username: r/iamnotabadass  
Server nickname: Ace-ahi  
Status: i s2g i am only eighteen

Ryuunosuke Tanaka  
Username: Kiyoko Fanclub Official President  
Server nickname: Kiyoko Fanclub Unofficial President  
Status: sign my petition to make kiyoko a UNESCO world heritage site

Sawamura Daichi  
Username: Don't Give Up  
Server nickname: Captain  
Status: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." - Wayne Gretsky

Sugawara Koshi  
Username: Sugawara  
Server nickname: bench  
Status: trying my best

Kageyama Tobio  
Username: Official Setter  
Server nickname: Official Setter  
Status: Hinata I swear to god if you change my name on here one more time the next set I toss your way is giving you irreversible brain damage

Tsukishima Kei  
Username: Don't  
Server nickname: stop pinging everyone at 4am  
Status: yes i am tall. the weather is the same up here. no i do not play basketball.

Yamaguchi Tadashi  
Username: more like yamagucci  
Server nickname: Yeah guys stop pinging everyone at 4am  
Status: crying my best

Takeda Ittetsu  
Username: Takeda Ittetsu  
Server nickname: Motivational Speaker  
Status: lobbying for practice games like mr moseby

Ukai Keishin  
Username: original  
Server nickname: Coach  
Status: if you have time to read a discord status, you have time for extra practice

Shimizu Kiyoko  
Username: FLY :)  
Server nickname: Manager  
Status: having a nice day

Narita Kazuhito  
Username: Narita Kazuhito  
Server nickname: I'm not the only middle blocker ???  
Status: ungrateful second year

Kinoshita Hisashi  
Username: Kinoshita Hisashi  
Server nickname: Substitute Wing Spiker  
Status: i'm trying my best

Ennoshita Chikara  
Username: Ennoshita Chikara  
Server nickname: Also a substitute wing spiker  
Status: Streaks :P


	2. chapter one: wet hair and middle school flashbacks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hope you guys enjoy this story! i wrote all this in the past 24 hours, and i hope this story doesn't slowly die out like the rest of the ones i've posted, save for my jojo's oneshots book. 
> 
> anyway i saw noya's wet hair and went beast mode so i hope you like this chapter and i'll update as soon as i'm done with the next chapter :>
> 
> have a nice day,
> 
> love, moose

Nishinoya glanced at you, zonked out against the bus window. He idly wondered how exactly you managed to fall asleep, because every time he tried to nap on a bus ride, it made his head feel like a dishwasher. When you were asleep, your typical neutral expression—resting sad face, you called it, but the second year liked to say he could read you pretty well—was gone. You were very serene. Even after having known you for almost a year, this was his favorite part of every training camp, because he never saw you this relaxed, ever. It was kind of cute, even if you weren’t necessarily his usual type.

It was a little concerning, even. He knew you didn’t get enough sleep. Nishinoya remembered one time last year when neither of you could go to practice due to temporary bad grades, and you both stayed up all night studying in the school’s library. He didn’t know you lived so close, either. But while Nishinoya had passed out at around two in the morning, you were still madly scribbling away by the time the libero jolted awake. As he complained and questioned why he chose to do this and how you convinced him to do this, you didn’t even look up from the comically tall stack of papers when you said, “There’s twenty four hours in a day, ‘Noya. Pulling all-nighters is just putting it to use. Getting the bang for your buck or whatever. Besides, we don’t have practice today. Want some coffee?”

God, he was grounded for, like, forever for that… Probably should have told his parents beforehand but, ah… what the hell? Actually, now that he thought about it, that was probably when the two of you really became good friends.

He stretched out somewhat. So what if he wasn’t as tall as other volleyball players? He was still the best libero in the world _and_ he wasn’t cramped into a tiny seat. Nishinoya felt yes on him and looked around, only to find that the grumpy four-eyes first year had noticed the movement and was now glaring at him in pure envy. A smirk crawled its way onto his face. _Suck it, tall guy. I_ own _you and your shitty headphones,_ he wanted to say, but didn’t.

The phone in his lap vibrated. Discord—oh, it was Ryu. Not on the volleyball server, in his DMs. 

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: Hey

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: Is (L/n)-chan asleep

RollingThunder: yeah

RollingThunder: why?

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: Can you send a pic

RollingThunder: really sounds kinda creepy ryu

RollingThunder: if you wanna embarrass her i can just put it on the volleyball channel

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: What? No

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: No

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: That’s kind of like. what a boyfriend would do

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: I thought you said you two were just friends

He stole another glance at your sleeping form, how your hair swept over your shoulder, maybe how it would look to wake up next t—yeah, okay, that was enough. You two were friends. Maybe you were really hot, but he respected women! He could be _friends_ with hot girls! Now impassioned, he typed furiously in response.

RollingThunder: uh ok what would u know about how boyfriends act

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: WOW

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: WOW OKAY

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: WHAT THE FUCK, NOYA

RollingThunder: I MEAN IT’S TRUE

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: ANYWAYS

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: I just thought it would be funny if that was her yearbook picture. Whyd you have to make it seem pervy

RollingThunder: BECAUSE TAKING PICTURES OF A GIRL SLEEPING IS PERVY, RYU

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: It’s just (L/n) tho. I don’t think she’ll take it as pervy

RollingThunder: I’M NOT GONNA TAKE THE PICTURE DUDE

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: Come ON Noya grow some cojones

RollingThunder: STOP OR I’LL WAKE HER UP

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: No way

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: ‘Cause you’re secretly in love with her

RollingThunder: THAT’S IT I’M WAKING HER UP

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: NOO IT WAS GOING TO BE FUCKING HILARIOUS

The boy with the bleached streak was about to shake you awake, but then you shuddered and yawned, sitting up in your chair. The bus had stopped. They were at training camp.

“Alright, you little shits,” Coach Ukai stood up at the front of the bus, “we’re gonna show those Nekoma bastards that we are not wingless crows anymore. Are you punks ready?”

Nishinoya felt his blood turn to copper and flow past his speed limit. He was part of the unison of a resounding _“Yes, sir!”_ and you managed a weak “Yeah,” blinking slowly. But your external lack of enthusiasm meant nothing, because Nishinoya knew you were secretly at least a little excited. Also, you had just woken up, so he couldn’t really blame you. 

He grabbed his bag, and on his way out, Ryu messed up his hair something fierce. “Don’t be a fucking simp, ‘Noya!” he laughed, and Nishinoya’s cheeks heated up as he anxiously tried to fix it.

“Ryu, I am _not_ a simp—”

You yawned and thanked the bus driver on your way out, your gym bag slung over your shoulder. You had the weirdest dream… And just like that, the memory was gone. Your eyes twitched. How annoying.

Training camp… oh, god, that reminded you of your own volleyball experience. But it was whatever. You… trusted these guys, whether they knew it or not. And you weren’t going to tell them about… that memory. Maybe they figured it out, maybe they didn’t. Either way, it wasn't coming from you.

Middle school was rough, man.

Ukai dragged you out of your reverie by stopping you. “Hey, (L/n). You know where your room is, yeah?” You nodded. “Do me a favor and check these keys. See which one opens Gym 2 and which one opens the supply closet. I’ll ping the Discord when dinner’s ready.”

“Got it, sir,” you confirmed, jogging ahead of him.

On some level, you got along with your coach, but it was a little infuriating that you were still under him. Before Keishin started to coach the club, you used to work summers and weekends at the Sakanoshita store with him and his mother, and although it was fine enough for a retail job, it was ruthlessly awkward, what with Takeda hounding your boss over and over to come back. Before… certain _events_ transpired, you had a bit of a useless crush on him, when the summer started. Y’know, like half-hearted palpitations over a mildly attractive teacher. A useless crush on an authority figure. But that was all it was. Useless. The actual feelings dissipated, leaving only discomfort without the rush of emotion. Of course you were embarrassed of your former self, but it wasn’t like you were out of our mind to have felt that way. A cute guy, older than you, who knew volleyball and gave you money? Kind of a catch.

On the other hand, he was a bit too aggressive on the court and he still lived with his parents, which was why him bossing you around irked you, the degree to which it augmented your vexation rising the more you disagreed with his directions. He seemed a bit too mature for the players to not take him seriously, yet too juvenile to fit in with the coaches of rival teams. If he truly only stayed on to coach through the game against Nekoma, you wouldn’t be disappointed, nor would you be elated, just… ambivalent. The odds of that happening were microscopic, though, so this was all just speculation.

You made it to Gym 2, trying out the keys on the lock. If none of those worked—a theory bordering on chimerical that your anxiety-riddled, sleep-deprived brain could twist through the mental gymnastics necessary to justify it with ease—then you had a couple of paperclips in your pocket that you could use. It made no sense to you that Ke—um, _Coach_ —would fuck you over like that, especially at the cost of precious training time, but some small voice behind your throat said, _Shit, wouldn’t that be hilarious, though?_ There were three keys on the ring: one copper, one painted gold, and one silver. Turning the bronze in the lock, you jiggled the handle of the door, and it slid open. Leaning on the now empty door frame, you scribbled down a quick _Entrance with a bronze key_ on your forearm. As… as a reminder.

Stepping onto the court was… was almost too much. You sighed, a strange kind of self-inflicted, nostalgic schadenfreude sweeping your nervous system. You… hadn’t the time to reminisce, you decided, so why didn’t your body follow your conscience and walk swiftly to the supply closet? Why were you still standing there? Because you _wanted_ to remember? No, of course not—

It hit you. That was _it._ Because you wanted to remember.

 _If I land this serve,_ you had whispered to her in the same position held now, back when you were still mischievous, still energetic, still bright-eyed, _there’s something important I have to tell you._

Keys in your pocket, you mimed an overhead serve, and in your mind’s eye, your middle school self’s hands collided with the Mikasa so perfectly, connecting and driving it to whiz past an already spotty defense and ace your first serve.

Coach: @everyone (L/n) come back

assistant TO the coach: Alright I got you.

Your phone buzzed in your other pocket, another disruption from your reverie, but this time, it was appreciated. Keishin had pinged the server. You rubbed your newly wet eyes and left the gym, probably faster than you had ever moved before.

Maybe it was something about being alone. After all, you never got middle school flashbacks during practice. Perhaps because you were focused on the game slash the sweat gathering on the nape of Nishinoya’s neck, but something about you and that empty court chased you back to where the rest of the team was.

“(Y/n)? You okay?” Coach Ukai’s voice softened. Nishinoya jolted; that was out of character. “Looks like you were crying.”

The libero watched you like a hawk from across the room. “Yeah, I’m fine,” you exhaled, clearly having just run somewhere quickly, eyes and face a bit red. “Don’t worry about it.” You pushed your sleeve up. “Uh, the bronze key works on the entrance door, and the silver works on the supply closet.” He made a note to himself to talk to you about what was up, but then Kiyoko called and said that dinner was ready.

RollingThunder: you okay?

krav macaw: It’s shit I don’t want to talk about. So no, but it’s fine. I can handle it.

RollingThunder: alright

In your mind’s eye, you were slamming the back of your head against the wall for trapping yourself again. So _stupid._ You were just _so_ stupid. He _asked,_ so it wasn’t like you were dumping shit on him for no reason with no explanation. Then your phone buzzed again.

RollingThunder: if you ever WANT to talk about it, you know im here right? i may be a loudmouth but im not a snitch haha

Nishinoya watched you carefully as you checked your notifications, and all of a sudden the private smile on our face was more important than anything else.

krav macaw: Thanks, Noya.

The cursory glance the coach sent your way wasn’t lost on him, but it seemed like it went completely unnoticed by you.

krav macaw: That’s sweet of you.

RollingThunder: it’s what friends do

krav macaw: You’re good at it.

RollingThunder: see, i’m so amazing at everything

krav macaw: Except growing taller, apparently.

RollingThunder: that i have to check in to make sure other people are okay

RollingThunder: WHAT The FuCK

RollingThunder: THAT WAS SO UNCALLED FOR

RollingThunder: I WAS BEING SO NICE WHAT THE HELL (L/N)

krav macaw: Good, you’re back to normal.

krav macaw: :>

RollingThunder: YOU’RE NOT ThAT MUCH TALLEr THAN ME, YOU KNOW

krav macaw: I don’t need to be.

krav macaw: Anyway, you can go back to simping for Kiyoko. I’ve got to take a shower.

krav macaw: ‘Night, manlet. Have a good one.

* * *

You taped up your chest loosely—more comfortable than a bra and more secure than just a towel—and slipped on a pair of boxers, wrapping the cloth around your shoulders to keep them dry from your hair. After all, you may have been sleeping in a different part of the facility than the players, but the hyperactive teenage boys were the type to barge into one's quarters in the morning unannounced, and you really couldn't just sleep in your underwear, that would be indecent of you. Oh—someone around the corner was talking...

"I saw someone... a child..."

Judging by the tone of the traumatized voice, you assumed it was Hinata. And the one pretending not to be scared must be Tanaka. Whatever, you know? If there was a ghost, you had seen worse things in your lifetime. You fished a few bills out of your bag and pressed several buttons on the vending machine. The ginger's neck snapped around and he shrieked almost inaudibly. "I'm not a ghost, Hinata," you sighed, "and it's actually kind of weird that this isn't the first time I've had to tell you that." You leaned over to retrieve your juice from the repository, sticking the straw in and taking a sip.

Hinata went completely pink, and Tanaka wasn't far from red himself. If you gave a shit, you would be mildly unnerved by Tanaka staring at your form like he was undressing you even further with his eyes, but, well, you didn't. So you raised an eyebrow and waited until his gaze traveled upwards to make piercing eye contact. God, at least the redhead had some manners. The upperclassman with a buzz cut flinched, before punching Hinata in the arm rather fiercely. "Don't look at her like she's a ghost!"

"Poor Kiyoko has to deal with simp nation and Agent Orange acting weird around her twenty four and fucking seven, but at least she gets to go home," you snarked, draining your juice box and tossing it into the trash can in a perfect arc, but your confidence melted when you saw the small figure walking down the hallway. "Who... who's that...?"

The figure drew closer and closer, until they came into view to reveal someone vaguely familiar, and the libero was yawning, towel wrapped around his neck and draping down to his collarbone and chest, his hair wet and flat. It looked rather muted compared to his typical spiky style, but with the brightness in his eyes and the irrefutably cool-looking bleached streak, you... didn't have the words to describe what was going on. Nishinoya blinked in chaste confusion.

“He shrank!” Hinata cried, pointing at the second-year in visible distress.

Tanaka guffawed. “Oh, my god, do you spike your hair up to make yourself look taller!?”

“Aw, shut up, Ryu!” barked the libero defensively, cheeks tinted pink. His gaze moved to you, and his face darkened as he noticed you were essentially in just men’s boxers and Ace bandages, staring at him like you were the newest prison inmate and he was the guy who could get you anything—but not without a price. “A-ah! (L/n)-chan! Why are you basically naked?! And how come you’re staring at me like that!?”

“Yuu-kun,” you said, eyes wide, completely earnest, “you’re… you’re _adorable.”_ His jaw dropped in tandem with Hinata’s and Tanaka’s. “You look, like… _really_ cute with your hair like that. I mean, you do normally, you’re a handsome guy, but especially now. What is it,” you mused to yourself, chin in hand as Nishinoya looked like he was about to faint, “what exactly is it?” Your hands grasped his shoulders, and you were sure there were stars in your eyes. “Call me (Y/n),” you sounded about as enchanted as you felt. 

“(Y/n)-chan,” he tried it out, somewhat lightheaded, “you really think so?”

Maintaining a grin with an eyebrow raised and twitching, you managed, “Yeah, ‘Noya, that’s why I fucking said it in the first place,” hands still clamped down on his shoulders, “I’m just sleep-deprived enough to say it out loud at this point. Anyways, you all should get some goddamn sleep. You too, pretty boy.” You let go and walked past them to what would serve as your room, waving goodbye without looking back. “You’ve got a big game tomorrow.”

The three of them were silent for a moment, and then Tanaka slammed a crisp high five into the libero’s palm. “I don’t know what’s happening, but _one_ hot girl doesn't care that I’m short,” Nishinoya stood triumphantly.

“Wait, don’t you guys like Kiyoko?” Hinata ceased to cheer. “Isn’t this kind of like cheating?”

Nishinoya turned to him, eyebrows furrowed. “What? She’s pretty and nice and amazing and kind and all, but I’m just doing it for the comedic bit. Besides, (Y/n)-chan obviously wants my—”

The player with a buzz cut pinched the bridge of his nose. “Don’t ruin the moment, ‘Noya—”

“RRRRROLLING THUNDERR!”

Hinata’s face lit up, brown eyes wide as dinner plates. “Aah, that was awesome, ‘Noya!”

A heavy hand clamped down on the ginger’s shoulder from behind, and he looked up at a giant with auburn hair dripping wet, stuck to his skin like a part-human part-crocodile swamp monster. Asahi loomed over him, the shadows making him seem ten times taller. “You guys are going to make Daichi mad,” he mumbled, coming out as more of a growl, and Hinata shrieked at the top of his lungs.

Back in your room, you undid the bandages, finagling yourself into your sports bra and slipping on an old tee shirt. You zipped open your sleeping bag and checked your phone, and—and you had a text from Nishinoya.

RollingThunder: you don't think i'm too short?

You blinked in surprise. No, why would—? That seemed awfully shallow.

krav macaw: No, dumbass. I like you just the way you are. Now go to bed.

God, you were going to regret this. Despite your external confidence, you maintained paralyzing anxiety, and the libero of the team was someone you held in high regards. Really, really high… regards. One sigh, and then another. That was one way to express your feelings, right? Right? Yeah… It was arguably the best way to maintain homeostasis within your social circle, at this rate. Any attempt at romance on your side was an admission of emotion, a concession of vulnerability. A defeat. So it was far better if you appeared calm. Better to seem manic than anxious, you supposed.

It was all of this anxiety festering inside you that fueled both a detachment and connection to the Karasuno team. Sure, Daichi was right to be passionate and to show his vehemence for the game. Watching the team play was enough to make you nostalgic, and you had _hated_ playing volleyball. But on the other hand, you couldn’t ignore the libero. He was so… he was so enthusiastic in day to day life—his quotidian energy could probably replace nuclear power—yet so serene once he stepped on to the court. His excitement was palpable, always, and it just made you admire him even more, but…

It kind of made you feel ashamed of not being able to express yourself without fearing rejection.

Sure, you told ‘Noya you thought he was adorable. That’s a surface level compliment. But if you were to say that you admired his tenacity, that you found him inspiring, that his character was endearing and being around him was like a breath of fresh air after an asthma attack—none of that would be reciprocated. Because what about you was admirable? Besides, ‘Noya was just reeling in the fact that you were a girl, you found him attractive, and you didn’t care about his height. He didn’t actually like you back. And if he did, it wouldn’t be anything close to how you cared about him.

Nishinoya stared at the ceiling, almost incapable of closing his eyes. He really wanted to just go over and shake Ryu again, he was so excited. The libero held his phone to his chest, heart beating faster than the first time he saw Kiyoko. You really thought he was attractive, even though he was barely five foot three. But you were hot in a mysterious way, too. Kiyoko was… almost untouchable, in a sense. You were realistic. You were a second-year, you had that unreadable expression on your face all the time, but… but you were a great coach’s assistant. And you had such an American charm to you.

The boy with the bleached streak could still remember the first time you met with vivid clarity. 

_“Ey, ‘Noya!” Ryu called him over. “This is (L/n), she’s in her first year, too.” You waved, and it struck him immediately that you seemed cool. Something about your posture was very relaxed and good-natured. Nishinoya grinned, jogging over. “She’s from the States,” he added. He wasn’t sure how that was relevant, but whatever, he could make a new friend._

_“I’m Nishinoya,” he introduced himself, “it’s nice to meet you,” but you offered him your hand. Oddly formal, but he shook it nonetheless. It was surprisingly firm. That was when he noted that the two of you were the same height. “Do you like volleyball? Are you going to be our second manager or something? Are you dating one of them?” He gestured to the rest of the team._

_“Nice to meet you, too,” you shoved your hand into your pockets, leaning back against the bleachers. “I actually, uh… just recently quit playing volleyball. I’m not dating anyone here. I want to go to film school and I think having some kind of administrative role in a club overseas could look good on my common app.”_

_Sugawara raised an eyebrow. “American film schools like volleyball?”_

_Nishinoya perked up even more, if that was even possible. “Oh, cool! What position did you play?” He deflated a bit. “How come you quit?”_

_“I was a libero.” You scratched the back of your neck. “It was a lot of fun to play, but I didn’t really get along with any of my teammates. They kind of… ah, well, never mind.”_

“I’m a libero, too!” _The smaller boy gushed._

_“Maybe you shouldn’t have introduced the two of them,” Sugawara muttered, gently elbowing Ryu._

_“Oh, we should play sometime.” You raised your chin, a playful glint in your eye. “I may not have height to my advantage, but I can still give you a run for your money, ‘Noya.”_

_“I don’t know, he’s pretty good,” Ryu warned._

_You shrugged, a lazy smile refusing to leave your face. “Never said I’d win, just said I’d give him a run for his money. Krav is better than volleyball, anyways, so… if you want to challenge me there, I can tell you for sure that I’d win.”_

_Nishinoya had no idea what krav was, but if you liked it that much, it had to be pretty cool, although he doubted it was better than volleyball. The teen with a bleached streak lifted his index finger and pointed straight at you as he hollered. “Let’s have a contest to see who’s the better libero! And then you can show me what krav is!”_

_“Now?” You blinked, looking down at your clothes. “I’ve gotta change, then, but give me a minute.”_

_After you left, the second year with light gray hair sighed. “You’re going to scare her off, Nishinoya.”_

_Ryu snorted. “Scare her off? Nah, she’s fine.”_

_You emerged in spandex and a long-sleeved uniform reading something in English, probably the name of your old school, with knee pads and an elbow pad. “Where was she hiding that?” Sugawara wondered._

_“God, I’ve been growing out my hair since I quit,” you gathered the long strands into a ponytail, pinning it back into a bun, “I’m not used to having it this long.”_

_“Don’t make excuses,” Nishinoya found himself teasing you, “I’m still gonna beat you to the ground!”_

_“Oh, yeah? Well, I’m gonna—eep!” you yelped as Daichi picked you up by the scruff of your neck like a newborn kitten._

_“It’s time to start practice,” the second year glared._

And now Nishinoya was the second year, and you were the assistant to the coach. That wasn’t a demeaning title, either; you would jokingly emphasize that you were the assistant _to_ the coach because that put less pressure on you if you gave advice and it ended up going terribly. 

Come to think of it, you still hadn’t shown him what krav was. And he had no clue why you hated your old team. But now that he knew you thought he was cute… You weren’t anywhere near Kageyama’s level of social ineptitude, but it was still kind of satisfying to be liked—even platonically/aesthetically speaking, in his case—by someone who hated a lot of people.

His phone buzzed. Oh—a text from you. The little Discord loading screen antagonized him as he ached to read what you sent.

krav macaw: No, dumbass. I like you just the way you are. Now go to bed.

But how could he possibly go to bed when you told him stuff like that!? It was impossible! When you said stuff like that, it made butterflies hover in his stomach like the jump float serve form the practice game against the neighborhood team. It suddenly struck him how lucky he was that you liked volleyball—well, kind of. It was really closer to you knowing how the game worked. Anyways, it suddenly struck him how lucky he was that you understood and worked with volleyball, because even subconsciously he had the ability to relate almost everything back to volleyball. In Nishinoya’s head, nothing in the entire universe was more than six degrees of separation away from volleyball. Nishinoya rolled over in his sleeping bag, texting you back.

RollingThunder: i can't sleep tho!!

krav macaw: What do you expect me to do, wave a magic wand and sing you a song to make you pass out?

RollingThunder: god you text like kageyama

RollingThunder: idk we could send each other memes or something

krav macaw: But then you'll be tired tomorrow morning because you'll spend hours scrolling through r/dankmemes to find the perfect one to send.

krav macaw: This is training camp. It's important that you train well every day.

RollingThunder: jeez. didn't know you cared. is it cause im so irresistibly adorable with my hair down?

krav macaw: It's because I have to deal with you when you're too tired to function.

RollingThunder: >:O

RollingThunder: rude

krav macaw: You're cute when you're tired, too. Just don't stay up too late, alright?

RollingThunder: but i want to keep talking to you!

krav macaw: Watch out—you're bordering on simp territory, Yuu.

krav macaw: ...I love it.

Nishinoya turned off his phone and shifted slightly, sure that the grin he was making was about to split his face in two.

* * *

tinyGiant10: Do you have a crush on nishinoya

krav macaw: Hinata. It’s like three in the morning.

krav macaw: No, I don’t have a crush on Noya. I find him attractive, but largely annoying. He’s my close friend. Why do you care?

tinyGiant10: Oh, cool

tinyGiant10: Cause I think he might think you do

krav macaw: Oh, God, okay

krav macaw: I said that he was cute because my meds wore off and I have low impulse control when that happens. I don’t have feelings for him.

krav macaw: Why are you asking, though? Did he ask you to?

tinyGiant10: You and noya are the only other people online, if you check the server

tinyGiant10: And he keeps looking at the screen of his phone and smiling weirdly and typing

tinyGiant10: So like. If he does think you like him

tinyGiant10: I think he might like you back, (L/n)

krav macaw: Yeah, I don’t think that’s it. He’s practically sworn a blood oath to Kiyoko, remember that one time?

krav macaw: Oh nvm you’re a first year

tinyGiant10: Ok i just wanted to tell you

tinyGiant10: Also you shoudl porbably go to bed soon

krav macaw: I’m your upperclassman, Hinata. Sleep is for the weak. Trust me, I’m not… exactly failing any classes right now

tinyGiant10: *should probably

krav macaw: You’re awake, too, though, so…?

tinyGiant10: UHH THAT’S ReALLY NOT GOOD (L/N)

tinyGiant10: Im up because the light of noya’s screen is keeping me awake

krav macaw: Wtf you pleb just sleep on your stomach

krav macaw: Gn

tinyGiant10: THAT’S A GOOD IDEA FR ACTUALLY

tinyGiant10: Gn (L/n), see you tomorrow


	3. chapter two: tired breakfast and concessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyyy..... i feel like this is shit. but i think my antidepressants are kicking in, so :>
> 
> this was supposed to be four pages longer bc i like chapters to usually be the same length, but i just didn't have the strength to bullshit about volleyball (which i know nothing about) and i wanted to put this out here!
> 
> as the ao3 publishing thing says, "brevity is the soul of wit". which i like to believe but also i just wrote a blurb at the start of my fucking anime fanfiction saying that it was supposed to be four pages longer. 
> 
> anyways be yourself and drink water bye im gonna go watch parks and rec and cry
> 
> thank you for reading! love, moose <3

Rubbing your eyes, you shrugged on a different shirt and a pair of sweatpants, still struggling to get that picture of Nishinoya’s wet hair out of your head. You checked the Discord server—not much new. You did set an early alarm, after all, but Jesus Christ.

Coach: @everyone Breakfast in forty five minutes.

Coach: Then we’ll head to Gym 2 and set up for practice and drills.

God, that was from thirty minutes ago. And it was seven twenty now. So that was… seven thirty-five? Forty-five? You were too damn tired for math right now. Keishin was nothing if not prepared, you supposed. You slipped on your socks and shoes, scrolling through your conversation with ‘Noya from yesterday and cringing at yourself. “Manlet”? What were you, an incel? When was the last time someone used the word “manlet”? God, you were embarrassing. You put a few folders in your backpack and zipped it up, leaving your sleeping setup pristine when you left.

assistant TO the coach: I think you pinged the server a bit early.

Coach: @everyone It’s good to start early.

assistant TO the coach: You’re pinging everyone again?

Coach: @everyone Making sure @everyone is awake.

assistant TO the coach: Christ, just go wake them up in person.

Making your way to the mess hall, you ignored most of the vibrations from your phone, seeing as they were most likely just Keishin abusing his status and relentlessly pinging @everyone on the server. If he wasn’t the coach, and if you had any idea how to do it, you would have kicked him from that channel, but you didn’t.

“Mornin’, Kiyoko.” You nodded at her, pouring yourself a cup of coffee, straight black. She was making breakfast for the team. A bit flustered at your sudden appearance, she jolted, a light pink dusted across her cheeks, but she blushed whenever someone so much as said _public speaking_ within a five foot radius of her, so it meant nothing to you. “Hey, Keishin.” You sat down across from your former boss, knowing the use of his first name would piss him off.

“Good morning, (L/n),” she spoke quietly, jet black hair sleek and as straight as she probably was. You marveled at her ability to get ready this early in a mixture of envy and admiration.

“I’m still your coach,” the blonde raised an eyebrow at you. “So it’s Ukai.”

You ignored him, scrolling through mobile Reddit and sipping your coffee. Somehow you moved on to looking for practice gloves. Back before you moved here, your krav class had this one kid with the gnarliest gloves, and he was _good._ They were red gloves with no fingers and a velcro wrist-hem thing… You never got to ask if they added extra support to a fist or a palm-heel strike, but you still couldn’t find them anywhere.

“Why’d you quit volleyball?”

The question caught you off guard, his eye contact kind of intense. You almost choked on your bitter drink. “What’s it to you, _Keishin?”_

“Small talk.” He spread his fingers in a fan. “I just remember your parents used to say you were quite good, and it seemed like you were enjoying it.” It was quiet enough that the sizzling of the eggs cooking in the background was all you could hear; you kind of got the feeling that Kiyoko was listening in. You swallowed air, blood roaring in your ears for a moment. “So what made you quit?”

“I told something… important to one of the girls in confidence,” your voice dropped, “and she told everyone. And they kicked me out of the team.” Keishin’s eyes widened. He probably didn’t expect you to actually tell him, and to be completely honest, you didn’t, either. “So I told my parents I quit. And the thing I like so much about krav,” your volume rose to a normal level, “is that it’s not a team sport. Because it doesn’t matter how well you play the game if everyone hates you.” You dripped with venom, gaze boring into his soul. “Is that not enough small talk for you, or can I drink my coffee in peace?”

Keishin blinked in surprise. “What did you _do?”_

You gestured vaguely. “I didn’t _do_ anything.”

“Well, now you’ve got me hooked.” He leaned in ever so slightly. “Come on, you can’t tell your old boss?”

“Actually,” you held your chin in your hand, “back where I’m from, you could fire me for it, so… I guess not.” You swirled the dark liquid in the cup, staring at the particles gathering in the bottom of the glass. “Nice try, though I dunno if you’d even believe me if I told you.”

“I’ll promote you to assistant coach if you tell me.”

“What, and accept more responsibility? No, thank you,” you snorted. “What would that even entail?”

“I’m not sure,” the blonde admitted. “Morning, Kageyama.”

The first year merely nodded in response. He seemed like such a tool, but at least he didn’t try to make small talk. You understood what it was like to be prodigy in one form or another, probably on a significantly smaller level, but he didn’t have to be such an asshole about it. More importantly, how long had he been standing there?

“I know what that’s like, (L/n),” he spoke simply. Well, you took back what you said about not making small talk. “Being abandoned by your own team.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard about your past, child prodigy. Don’t pity me,” you drained your cup and poured more into it. “It’s completely different, I’ll tell you that.”

“But what did you _say!?”_

“I said I wasn’t going to tell you, old man! Do you need it in sign language or something?!”

Hinata rushed to the table, panting. “I… you.. You beat me this time… Kageyama…” 

You sighed, staring into your cup as you recounted what actually happened.

_“Hey, if I make this serve, there’s something important I need to tell you.”_

_“Of course you’ll make the serve,” she snorted, “so why don’t you tell me now?”_

_“It’s a… it’s a good luck kind of thing.” You scratched the back of your neck. “Just promise me you won’t tell anyone else, right?”_

_“No shit.” Her pinky finger linked with yours. “Friends don’t tell each other’s secrets. I got you, (Y/n).”_

Kiyoko watched you furtively, with a sense of longing, noticing the way you gazed at the dissolved coffee beans in your paper cup, swirling it like a glass of ancient wine. “Hey, um… (L/n). Would you like some eggs?”

The way you jumped was like you expected someone to find you doing something wrong, thinking something inappropriate. “Huh? Oh. No thanks.”

_Tossing the ball into the air, you launched yourself after it, and brought your palm down, serving it across to the other team. It made it in, leaving your palm stinging and slick with sweat. You hit the ground with a sense of overwhelming satisfaction and dread settling down the knobs of your spine._

Her eyebrows furrowed, twisting something in her stomach into knots. “You’re not having anything for breakfast?” But it didn’t seem like you heard it. It didn’t seem like you heard anything she said…

_Tugging off your knee pads, you exhaled heavily, out of breath. She sat on the bench next to you, changing out of her uniform, but you felt her eyes on you like a peregrine falcon, waiting for you to return to your civilian clothes. You hesitated in pulling off your elbow band, wanting to postpone your announcement._

_“So we lost, huh?”_

_“Yeah, but you’re still the best on the team. Liberos can’t make you earn points through keeping the ball in play.” The girl next to you was keen, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Tell me! What is it?”_

Gaze resting on the sharp square tiles of the floor, you twitched a little, trying to fidget away your nervous energy, the still constant focus of your vision a direct contrast to the tumultuous torment of your inner self.

_“I…” You looked away, a bead of sweat trickling down behind your ear. “I… never mind. I’ll tell you later, yeah?”_

_“Come_ on, _(Y/n).” She shoved you playfully. A wince that she didn’t notice. “Don’t be a fucking tease.”_

_“Okay! Fine!” This wasn’t a joke anymore. You leaned over, squeezing your eyes shut, you couldn’t bear looking at her. “If you really want to know…” She nodded vehemently, and you hugged your knees to your chest, heart racing. You chose to just spit it out, get it over with. “I think you should know that I’m—”_

“(Y/n)?”

You snapped out of it, searching for whoever said your first name. “Yeah? Oh. Hey, ‘Noya.” Something inside you let out a long-held breath at the sight of him, your nerves starting to settle.

The libero raised an eyebrow, sitting down next to you. “Are you okay? Like, for real?” He ran a sleepy hand through his spiked up hair.

“Yeah, I’m fine now.” And you weren’t lying. You _were_ fine, as fine as you could be, now that he was here. God, you thought back to the messages you exchanged with Hinata last night… That was so dumb. Your relationship with the libero was strictly platonic and enjoyably so, and even if you thought he was amazing and all that, you kept it under wraps better than the American government kept Mothman contained in Area 51. You would even go so far as to say that you didn’t know what you would do with yourself without the boy with a bleached streak. He was without a doubt effervescent, whatever the fuck that meant. “Just… thinking of middle school,” you shivered.

“That sucks,” Nishinoya commiserated. “Are you going to have breakfast, or…?”

“I already ate,” you lied through your teeth. To be honest, you just weren’t super hungry, but chances were he’d make you eat because Kiyoko went to the trouble of making it, or he would lecture you about the importance of breakfast or some shit like that. Keishin opened his mouth, and you kicked him in the shins as hard as you could, strangling his protest effectively enough to give the Chinese government a run for their money.

“Wait, b—eugh, _shit,”_ your coach hissed, getting the message clearly with eyes wide and pained. _Take that, you snitch_ , you thought pettily, _that’s what you get for making small talk and sticking me on the morning shift five days in a row so you didn’t have to work hungover, you mildly attractive rat bastard_. “Uh, I mean… never mind.”

Keishin shouted at the players to move faster, hit harder, aim better. He was good at coaching, you could give him that, but like always, he wasn’t what you were focused on.

Homework cast aside, your lens honed in on the libero and his precise movements. He was a man of instinct, of pure improvisational talent. This was the winter of your discontent, you thought, biting your lip as you lamented how little of a chance you actually had. He was a _masterpiece_ , his lithe frame carefully augmented by the tight and loose folds of the breathable fabric, the bruises scattered across his arms and legs noticeably similar to hickeys, and you wanted so badly not only to run your fingers through his spiked-up hair, but to leave more of those tiny bruises around his collarbone and shoulders, and on his neck and anywhere you could reach, really… The lean muscles of Nishinoya’s thighs peeked through his volleyball shorts and you wanted so badly just to be with him, for his head to fit so nicely in the crook of your neck, for your fingers to lace together perfectly, to wake up needed and satisfied at the same time, to feel the warmth of his skin against yours…

R—right. Chemistry homework. But you decided that could be dealt with later as he saved a hit that appeared nearly impossible to salvage with a somersault to the side, hollering out his patented rolling thunder. After Nishinoya’s turn was over, he looked directly at you and beamed, his brown eyes deep like mine-shafts glittering with flecks of iron and gold, and you could have melted on the spot, but instead, you just smiled, unsure if he was looking at you or the dark-haired girl next to you.

“Hydrogen bonds are with chlorine, fluorine, and oxygen, right?” Her voice was soft, and she looked at you like she was sure you knew the answer. Maybe if you hadn’t been so obsessed with ‘Noya… But that wasn’t something you could think about here. Not now, not after you lost so much. You shrugged, hoping she didn’t catch your heated gaze in the libero’s direction.

“I dunno,” you muttered, trying not to make eye contact. “I think nitrogen’s somewhere in there, too. Maybe instead of chlorine? There were only three, I think.” You saw Kiyoko nod through your peripheral vision. “Definitely oxygen, because remember the example he gave us with water, the hydrogen and oxygen bonding?”

“Right, thanks. Just checking,” she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and you considered that conversation over, focusing back on the players.

That new quick attack between Hinata and Kageyama sure was… something. It’s insane. The precision necessary to launch the ball directly to a spiker was nothing short of spectacular, and it even… it even made you a bit nostalgic for your own days in volleyball. You had something similar with a former friend of yours.

The phone in your pocket buzzed. Noticing ‘Noya had about three turns until his, you chose to check it. It was… a Discord notification. A direct message from Kiyoko?

FLY :): hey ;O

Wh…? You turned to Kiyoko. “Hey, what the fuck? We’re sitting right next to each other.”

She flushed scarlet and scooted away faster than the speed of light.

krav macaw: You okay?

FLY :): yeah i’m good

You raised an eyebrow. Didn’t really seem like it, but alright.

krav macaw: Then why did you DM me?

FLY :) is typing…

The poor girl, an anxious wreck, her fingers were hitting the screen faster than Hinata and Kageyama’s quick attack only a few meters away. 

FLY :): aah you just seemed really cool and i was wondering if you wanted to maybe at some point in time hang out?? like to study english. because you’re from the states. so you’re. so you know english? even though i’m a third year and you’re jsut a second year. because you’re so good at english. yeah. so would you want to?

krav macaw: Kiyoko.

krav macaw: You could have asked me in person.

krav macaw: Relax.

FLY :): but is that yes or no? not that it matters. because it’s just studying ! nothing else. at all.

krav macaw: I mean, sure?

FLY :): ..unless

krav macaw: What?

FLY :): NOTHING

krav macaw: Alright, whatever. We’re in the middle of training camp, I’m kind of busy. 

krav macaw: When we get back to school, I usually study during lunch. You can meet me on the roof then.

FLY :): cool! :>

Well, that was strange. You slid your phone back into your pocket and let your gaze dart back towards Nishinoya, except—shit. _Shit._ Where’d he go? You scanned the line and he was waiting by the edge of the wall, looking at his phone. Oh, thank God. Your pocket buzzed. Holy shit, was it Kiyoko again? Jesus Christ—

RollingThunder: why did you quit volleyball? if you don’t mind my asking

krav macaw: It’s… it’s very private.

RollingThunder: it’s totally fine if you don’t want to talk about it

_“Okay! Fine!” This wasn’t a joke anymore. You leaned over, squeezing your eyes shut, you couldn’t bear looking at her. “If you really want to know…”_

krav macaw: So you can’t tell anyone. Not a soul.

_She nodded vehemently, and you hugged your knees to your chest, heart racing._

krav macaw: It means more to me than you can imagine, okay?

_You chose to just spit it out, get it over with. “I think you should know that I’m—”_

RollingThunder: i won’t tell anyone.

RollingThunder: i swear on it.

_She stared at you, trying to cover herself. “Seriously? Is… is that why you joined the volleyball team? Jesus Christ. (Y/n), that’s… that’s disgusting. Get out.”_

krav macaw: It might take a while, but…

krav macaw: I don’t want you to take it the wrong way.

 _“I—what? I don’t feel that way about_ you!” _Your eyebrows furrowed. “What the hell? No, it’s not just—what the fuck are you d—” She shoved you off of the bench harshly, and the rivets in the lockers scraped skin as they dragged down your arm. “Don’t tell the rest of the—”_

RollingThunder: i think you’re a good person

RollingThunder: and not much could change that

_The look in her eyes was terrifying. “I’ll do what I want, you fucking pervert.”_

krav macaw: I’m not straight.

krav macaw: I’m bisexual.

You put your phone away.

RollingThunder is typing...


	4. chapter three: running habits and convincing her to stay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how'd ya feel abt the cliffhanger eh?? this one's like a medium between the lengths of chapter one and chapter two. anyways hope you like this one :>
> 
> stay hydrated, and hope you're having a great day!
> 
> thanks for reading, love, moose <333

RollingThunder: that’s totally fine and i dont really know what to say but im glad that you told me and i won’t tell anyone else. ure still the same assistant coach i know so as long as ure happy then everything is fine :>

RollingThunder: sorry it took a while to type that and i couldnt see if u responded

RollingThunder: (y/n)?

RollingThunder: oh, shit

“Hey, dumbass, you’re stressing out Kiyoko! Wake up,” it almost sounds like Ryu, but you have no way of making sure. “Way to stop practice. Ow! What the fuck, ‘Noya?!” The blurry shapes turn into two blobs, one yelling at the other. You blink again, and your ears were right—it was Ryu. And… and an increasingly concerned Nishinoya, sinking the knuckles of his fist into the second-year’s bicep before he shoved Tanaka aside.

“Are you okay?” Those dark, dark brown eyes soften, and the fingers of the arm with the elbow band grasp your shoulder. “Seriously. I’m being serious. Are you okay?” You open your mouth, but he keeps talking, keeps looking at you with those furrowed eyebrows, and you focus on the color of his shirt, the bright orange something you would usually find obnoxious but in the moment came across as rather comforting… “Don’t say that you’re fine and run away. I’m serious. Are you okay? You can tell me.”

“I…” You cracked a weak grin, feeling a bit woozy. “I think I’m alright. I’ve fainted before, and that was from dehydration and heat exhaustion. I think I’m gonna be okay.” Trying to sit up, you could have faded again when you felt Nishinoya’s palm, strong and center between your shoulder blades in an attempt to help steady you. Gaze flitting from jersey to jersey, you realized the entire team was surrounding you in a semi-circle of the hazy no man’s land between acquaintance and friendship; the pretty third-year hovering way too close and the horde of admittedly attractive volleyball players all eyes on you sent you almost reeling, but somehow the libero’s touch both grounded you and made you feel dizzy again. “You guys should get back to practice. Prove Nekoma wrong and whatever.”

Barely hearing Kiyoko’s soft voice from behind you, she said, “I’m glad you’re okay,” but as far as you were concerned she didn’t fully exist right now.

“Right.” The libero glanced at you, then at Ukai. “I’m going to stay here and make sure she’s actually fine.” 

Your coach crossed his arms against his chest. “Kiyoko can do that—”

“I’m going to  _ stay  _ here,” he growled, “and make sure she’s actually fine.”

“Alright, alright.” Ukai held up his palms in surrender. “Have fun.”

As soon as the crowd dispersed, you opened your mouth to speak and ‘Noya’s hand moved to your shoulder, the two of you sitting up at a minimal distance. “Thanks. Thanks for… wait, what are you here for?”

‘Noya rolls his eyes and leans close. Your eyes fly open, and the libero wraps his arms around your neck and shoulders. It’s intimate and… surprising. “I care about you. And I’m glad that you told me, because I care about you. And I don’t really know what to say, but I’m pretty sure you need a hug.”

You hold on to the sides of his back in an effort to return the hug. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” His breath fans the back of your neck and in this moment he’s all you remember how to focus on. “You will  _ never  _ be a problem.”

FLY :): hey r u okay? what’s going on

“It’s… it’s why I got kicked off the volleyball team at my old school,” you mumble into his shirt. “I haven’t told anyone else, not even my parents… They just think I quit.”

“Hey, hey,” he traced a few soothing circles on your upper back, “that’s okay. You don’t have to. And it’s going to be okay, because you’re a part of our team now, you got it? No one is going to kick you off this team for being who you are, and if they even try, I’ll beat the shit out of them, okay?” 

“Shit, ‘Noya,” you held back a sniffle, grinning and pushing back a little to wipe your face, “you’re going to make me cry.”

“Just know that you have a place here.” His intense gaze focused on you, before moving to somewhere behind your eyes. “Oh. Hey, Kiyoko, how’s it going?”

Glancing at the third-year, she looked… Honestly, she looked extremely overwhelmed. You raised an eyebrow. You were the one who fainted, but she seriously looked worse for wear. “Yeah, are you okay?” Her entire face was flushed, the blush spreading down to her neck, and her eyes reddened, watering close to the point of tears. “Have you been crying?”

“Um… n—no. No, I haven’t been crying. I’m fine, really,” she rambled, quickly fixing her hair. “Quick question, completely unrelated, um—are the two of you together?”

“What? No,” Nishinoya snorted, furrowing his eyebrows. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Yeah, that’s insane.” You shook your head. “We’re just good friends. Anyways, this is kind of a private moment, do you mind—?”

“Right—I’ll—I’ll go,” Kiyoko nods vigorously, getting her things and swiftly evacuating to a different row of bleachers. 

Nishinoya watches her neutrally, before something sparked in his eyes. “Wait… wait a minute.” You raised an eyebrow, waiting for his grand new idea. “Does this mean that you have a chance with Kiyoko?”

You turned to look at the third-year, no longer flushed as she started working on chemistry homework for tomorrow, her long, jet-black, bone-straight hair swept over her shoulder. Thinking back to her erratic behavior around you, and how often she blushed just at your presence… Shaking your head to yourself, you chalked it up to anxiousness. She wasn’t into you, probably. Yeah, no, it was way more than probably. “Definitely not,” you turned back to Nishinoya, spotting a thin line of blood streaming down from his nose. “God, don’t—don’t do that.” You lightly swatted the back of his head. “Damn. I didn’t know that happened in real life.”

The libero wipes his Cupid’s bow with a somewhat cheeky grin. “You didn’t know people could get nosebleeds?”

“No, I didn’t know they could get them from being filthy  _ perverts.” _ You stretched out a little, resting your feet on the bleachers in front of you as you retrieved your work. “Hey, do you know anything about electron configuration?”

“Not a thing,” your friend shoots you a toothy grin, “Wanna compare answers?”

\---

tinyGiant10: Hey (Y/n) are u doing okay?? Hope you’re feeling better

\---

r/iamnotabadass: hey ik we’re not close but you should drink some water. noya talks about you a lot and you should take care of yourself

\---

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: Yo if you’re gonna die don’t do it here that’s not cool

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: Obviously it would be lame because you’re great

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: But don’t kick the bucket at a training camp

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: Seems like you’re really close to Noya and any friend of his is a friend of mine so

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: But hey keep your head up and stay hydrated

\---

Don’t Give Up: (L/n), you received a water bottle from the school last year because you were a part of the team. You should use it.

\---

Sugawara: I hope you’re doing okay!!

\---

Official Setter: Don’t faint at an important match. Nishinoya lost his composure. We need him as the libero.

\---

Don’t: You’re annoying

Don’t: Still lame if you die on us

Don’t: That counts. If Yama asks what I said tell him it was something heartfelt

\---

more like yamagucci: how do you change your username

more like yamagucci: I HIT SEND ON A MESSAGE FOR SOMEONE ELSE

\---

FLY :): hey (y/n)-chan i hope you’re doing well ! if you need water or something i always carry extra especially to practice and games. and if it was from cramps or anything i have some aspirin in my locker. hope you’re doing ok - the whole team really appreciates you and it would be a giant bummer if you weren’t an assistant next year :>

FLY :): ive fainted before and it’s really really awful so pls make sure you get enough fluids ! anyways have a nice night

\---

Coach: @everyone Did @everyone send @krav macaw a message?

best libero in the world: no

best libero in the world: ...should i do that?!!

Coach: You’re probably fine, Nishinoya. How is she holding up?

best libero in the world: making her drink water rn

NUMBER ONE DECOY: Yeah I did it

Ace-ahi: so did i

Kiyoko Fanclub Unofficial President: Got close enough

Captain: I messaged her.

Official Setter: How do you make somebody drink water?

bench: yeah so did I

bench: probably just trying to get her to do it

best libero in the world: i gave her an incentive

best libero in the world: simple economics

Kiyoko Fanclub Unofficial President: …?!

Kiyoko Fanclub Unofficial President: Incentive??

stop pinging everyone at 4am: I messaged (L/n)

Yeah guys stop pinging everyone at 4am: so did i

Kiyoko Fanclub Unofficial President: What, did you say you’d make out with her??

best libero in the world: ?! NO

best libero in the world: RYU WHAT THE HELL

best libero in the world: >:O

best libero in the world: THAT IS RIDICULOUS

FLY :): why are there so many messages

best libero in the world: (Y/N)-CHAN JUST FAINTED AND YOU’RE JOKING ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!!

FLY :): oh yeah i sent her a DM

FLY :): O-O

Coach: @everyone @Kiyoko Fanclub Unofficial President That’s inappropriate. Use another server if you’re going to talk about stuff like that.

Kiyoko Fanclub Unofficial President: Coach Ukai, we’re on the personal channel

Coach: @everyone @Kiyoko Fanclub Unofficial President Doesn’t matter. Use another server.

\---

tinyGiant10: Hey (Y/n) are u doing okay?? Hope you’re feeling better

krav macaw: Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks for asking.

\---

r/iamnotabadass: hey ik we’re not close but you should drink some water. noya talks about you a lot and you should take care of yourself

krav macaw: Thanks, Asahi. You too.

\---

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: Yo if you’re gonna die don’t do it here that’s not cool

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: Obviously it would be lame because you’re great

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: But don’t kick the bucket at a training camp

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: Seems like you’re really close to Noya and any friend of his is a friend of mine so

Kiyoko Fanclub Official President: But hey keep your head up and stay hydrated

krav macaw: Thanks, I think?

\---

Don’t Give Up: (L/n), you received a water bottle from the school last year because you were a part of the team. You should use it.

krav macaw: Whatever.

\---

Sugawara: I hope you’re doing okay!!

krav macaw: Thanks, man.

\---

Official Setter: Don’t faint at an important match. Nishinoya lost his composure. We need him as the libero.

krav macaw: Alright, jackass.

\---

Don’t: You’re annoying

Don’t: Still lame if you die on us

Don’t: That counts. If Yama asks what I said tell him it was something heartfelt

krav macaw: Fair enough.

\---

more like yamagucci: how do you change your username

more like yamagucci: I HIT SEND ON A MESSAGE FOR SOMEONE ELSE

krav macaw: It’s under user settings in the bottom left corner.

krav macaw: Did you find it?

yama: yeah!! thanks

krav macaw: No problem.

\---

FLY :): hey (y/n)-chan i hope you’re doing well ! if you need water or something i always carry extra especially to practice and games. and if it was from cramps or anything i have some aspirin in my locker. hope you’re doing ok - the whole team really appreciates you and it would be a giant bummer if you weren’t an assistant next year :>

FLY :): ive fainted before and it’s really really awful so pls make sure you get enough fluids ! anyways have a nice night

krav macaw: Thanks, Kiyoko. You too.

You adjust your makeshift pillow, thinking about today. Nishinoya sounded really concerned, didn’t he? The way he rubbed your back… You shook your head. No. Not… not now. It just felt so good to say it out loud.  _ I’m bisexual.  _

Well, you hadn’t said it out loud. You just typed it. But it was nice for someone else to know and not to  _ judge  _ you for it, which was the opposite of what you were expecting. Sure, he was kind of a pervert about it, but at least he didn’t kick you off the team. You could only hope that someday you would have the courage to tell everyone else. This really was kind of like a family, sort of…

Kiyoko said earlier that you probably had a concussion from when you fainted and hit your head on the bleachers. You felt mostly fine, but there was no way in hell you were going to see a nurse about this. You were healthy enough, stable enough to stand on your own two feet. The only way your head felt weak or dizzy was really when ‘Noya sounded so fervent, like his own life depended on you being okay. That really… that made your knees want to give out, too. 

Wait a minute… why did Kiyoko sound so upset when she asked if you and ‘Noya were together? Did she… like him? That would be kind of a shocker, given how ardently she ignored him and Tanaka last year when they fawned over her. Or maybe…

Maybe she liked you.

Nope. No. No way. That’s enough thinking for tonight, you decided, let’s go to sleep. Because that was  _ impossible.  _

But was it impossible? Looking back, she was always nice to you, and you always chalked it up to her being incredibly shy, or just trying to be polite to a new student. She didn’t necessarily go out of her way to talk to anyone else on the team.

_ She was making breakfast for the team. A bit flustered at your sudden appearance, she jolted, a light pink dusted across her cheeks, but she blushed whenever someone so much as said public speaking within a five foot radius of her, so it meant nothing to you. _

Kiyoko never really paid too much attention to you, you thought, at least in comparison to anyone else. Much less the guys who fought for her attention daily, or the players from opposing teams who whispered a mixture of platitudes and obscenities as she passed. She didn’t say anything to you when you first started as an assistant to the coach, and she never talked to you in chemistry class, so why would she think you were a good person to study with? Had she  _ seen  _ your grades in that class?

_ Her eyebrows furrowed, twisting something in her stomach into knots. “You’re not having anything for breakfast?” But it didn’t seem like you heard it. It didn’t seem like you heard anything she said… _

Though, when you think about it, she did always seem to be observing you and your interactions, checking to make sure you were okay, desperately trying to reach out to you, it seemed like.

_ FLY :): but is that yes or no? not that it matters. because it’s just studying ! nothing else. at all. _

_ krav macaw: I mean, sure? _

_ FLY :): ..unless _

Unless what?

_ not that it matters. because it’s just studying ! nothing else. at all.  _

Too shy to ask in person… must mean it was something else.

_..unless _

So maybe it wasn’t anything besides studying, but what else could it be? What else did she  _ want _ it to be?

_ Barely hearing Kiyoko’s soft voice from behind you, she said, “I’m glad you’re okay,” but as far as you were concerned she didn’t fully exist right now. _

Even today, you didn’t consider her at all.

Could it be… that the most wanted girl at Karasuno High School… 

...wanted  _ you? _

You slammed your blanket over your mouth and tried to muffle a scream.

\---

Turning on your phone, you pressed the home button and flinched at your own search history, the too-bright letters almost pulsing with your heartbeat. You quickly opened Discord to about a hundred messages on the personal channel of the volleyball server, and those were just from yesterday. But in your DMs…

RollingThunder: hey

RollingThunder: hey

RollingThunder: hey

RollingThunder: how are you

RollingThunder: are you doing okay

RollingThunder: i’m not gonna come to your room

RollingThunder: cause that’s creepy

RollingThunder: but i hope you’re doing well

krav macaw: Jesus fucking Christ

krav macaw: Yeah, I’m good. How are you?

Someone knocked on your door and you nearly jumped out of your own skin, so surrounded in reverie. You threw on your Karasuno windbreaker faster than you thought humanly possible and zipped it up, slipping on some athletic shorts. “Uh, come in!”

“What are you doing up?” She sounded worried. Oh, no; another meaningless intonation your brain would add to the ever-growing list of ego-inflating circumstantial evidence. The two of you were almost friends. You were just insane and tired, she didn’t have a  _ crush  _ on you. “I brought you breakfast.”  _ Breakfast is thoughtful _ , bringing _ someone breakfast is rather intimate _ , your subconscious hissed in warning.  _ It’s just scrambled eggs, _ your ego threw back. “Are you doing alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I seriously don’t think this is a concussion,” you tried to reason with her, but Kiyoko shook her head. You didn’t really have the heart to argue with her right now, and… and those eggs smelled really good… The third-year passed you the plate. “Thank you.”

“No problem!” She beamed, seeming real happy about some eggs. Then it struck you: here was your litmus test. If it turned blue, then fine, you were a hopeless dumbass, but if it turned red, you were a dumbass with an ounce of hope. And if nothing happened, then you should pay more attention in chemistry class. The last part wasn’t really a metaphor so much as it was just good advice. 

Taking a bite—damn, scrambled eggs never really taste like what you expect them to until you take a bite—you swallowed and tried to muster up the courage to say probably the most embarrassing thing you’d thought of in a long time. “Hey, Kiyoko. You have a pretty smile.”

When you glanced up at her, her face was covered in different shades of pink and red, and her pleasant expression had dropped completely. “Th—thanks, I’ve got to go check on some things to do,” Kiyoko blurted out, before hightailing it out of your room.

You frowned. What did you do wrong? 

Whatever. You can’t swing a dead cat around here without something going wrong. And speaking of dead cats, the big game was tomorrow. And you were about ready to help your high school send them straight to hell.


End file.
